A rule-based system for automatic assignment of technicians to service faults

We present a model and a prototype system for the assignment of technicians to handle computer system faults (including hardware, software and communications) that are reported by users connected to the organization's computer network. The model attempts to simulate the assignment process of technicians, as carried out by the manager of a help desk. The model has been developed on the basis of a detailed study of the process of handling faults and the assignment of technicians in a number of organizations. In order to validate the model, simulation tests have been carried out, designed to compare the results of the model's assignment process, in hundreds of cases, against assignments carried out by experts who participated in the experiments. The results show that in 48% of the cases, the system's assignment of technicians was better than that of the experts, and that in 92% of the cases, the system achieved results as good as or better than did the experts.